Guildford Twinning Association

22/09/2026

Our planning committee spent the afternoon brainstorming some new ideas for our German mini Christmas market - note the Treasurer in the far corner, attending via the internet.

14/09/2026

Just back from a town twinning workshop discussing issues like "twinning structures after local government reorganisation" - remember, Guildford Borough will disappear next April! Run by The British-German Association and generously hosted in Birmingham by Aston University's Centre for Europe. There were 20 representatives from England and Scotland - reps from Wales and N Ireland still to be recruited. GTA Chair is BGA's Surrey rep.

14/07/2026

Our Chair, Barbara Ford talking to That's TV Surrey about twinning and our Christmas German Mini Market

14/07/2026

Our trip to Freiburg was wonderfully supported by Hogs Back Brewery - have a look at their newsletter

Our b**r travelled to Freiburg, courtesy of Guildford Twinning Association. The Germans appreciate their b**r so Tongham TEA and Surrey Nirvana went down well!

13/07/2026

Here are some fun German compound words for beginners - wait till you see some long ones!

German Compound Words — Komposita 🔥

Did you know? German builds entirely new words by combining existing ones!

Glove — Handschuh (Hand + Shoe)
Turtle — Schildkröte (Shield + Toad)
Sunscreen — Sonnencreme (Sun + Cream)
Lightbulb — Glühbirne (Glow + Pear)
Refrigerator — Kühlschrank (Cool + Cupboard)
Ambulance — Krankenwagen (Sick + Car)

Which compound word surprised you most? 👇

11/07/2026

04/07/2026

Here’s Day 1 for you

30/06/2026

Freiburg Tour: Day Five
Our final day in Freiburg took us up the Schlossberg by funicular, before a walk to Kanonenplatz for sweeping views across the city, its rooftops and surrounding vineyards.
From there, we headed down to Kastaniengarten for a well-earned b**r and snack, with live music from an American musician playing the Chapman Stick adding to the atmosphere. We also discovered why chestnut trees are such a favourite in b**r gardens: they provide welcome summer shade, and their roots do not damage the cellars below.
And then it was time to head home to Guildford — with new friendships made, old connections strengthened and plenty of wonderful memories to bring back with us.
The Guildford Twinning Association organises a short break to Freiburg every year, whether or not the Partner Cities Fair is taking place. If you’d like to join us next time, why not become a member and keep up to date with this trip and our other events throughout the year?
Get in touch to find out more: https://guildfordtwinning.uk/

29/06/2026

Freiburg Tour: Day Four
Day Four began with an inspiring visit to Dietenbach, Freiburg’s third and largest sustainable development site, alongside the delegation from Madison, Wisconsin.
This ambitious new district is planned to provide homes for 16,000 people, with 6,900 dwellings, three tram stops, 22 daycare centres and a school. Work is already under way on floodplain management and infrastructure — another fascinating insight into Freiburg’s commitment to sustainable urban development.
Back at the Partner Cities Fair, we continued exploring the stalls and welcoming visitors to the Guildford stand, where we were proud to showcase some of the many things our town has to offer — with a special focus on gardens.
Highlights included a performance by the Padua Children’s Choir and lots of interest from visitors keen to learn more about Guildford.
The bees from Guildford in Bloom proved very popular, along with tastings of Silent Pool Gin and Hogs Back B**r — a wonderful way to share a flavour of Guildford with our Freiburg friends and fellow partner cities.
In the evening, the Guildford Twinning Association group enjoyed dinner with friends from Freiburg’s Anglo-German Club, rounding off another memorable day of friendship, exchange and warm hospitality.

28/06/2026

Day Three began with rain, but spirits were high as we headed to the Freiburg Partner Cities Fair, where all 12 of Freiburg’s twin towns came together to showcase their communities, cultures and connections.
At a time when some partner cities are affected by conflict, the message of friendship felt especially important. In his opening speech, Martin Horn, Oberbürgermeister of Freiburg, spoke about the value of coming together and maintaining friendship at a local level.
Four representatives from Freiburg’s twin towns also gave speeches, including the Mayor of Guildford, Jane Tyson, before everyone had time to explore the stalls and enjoy musical entertainment — more on that tomorrow!
The afternoon included a visit to the newly restored Augustiner Museum, while Mayor Jane Tyson attended a talk on environmental protection and climate change.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Guildford group enjoyed a welcome chance to pause, relax and recharge with a much-needed cappuccino.
The day ended with the Freiburg City evening reception for visitors from all partner cities — a warm and fitting close to a day celebrating friendship, community and international connections.
Check back tomorrow for more from Day Four!